Lighting means for automatic clothes washers



March 6, 1956 E. G. OLTHUIS LIGHTING MEANS FOR AUTOMATIC CLOTHES WASHERS Filed Oct. 28, 1953 FIG.|

INVENTOR.

EUGENE G. OLTHUIS HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent LIGHTING MEANS FOR AUTOMATIC CLOTHES WASHERS Eugene G. Olthuis, Louisville, Ky., assiguor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application October 28, 1953, Serial No. 388,783

2 Claims; (Cl. 240-21) This invention relates to automatic clothes washing machines and the like, and more particularly to an improved lighting arrangement for both the controls and interior of such a machine.

A primary object of my invention is to provide an arrangement for lighting the interior of the clothes container of a washer, extractor, or dryer, and also for lighting the various control knobs, indicators, and dials of such a machine,

Another object of my invention relates to the arrangement of such a lighting system utilizing a single light source, which is safe, properly protected from water, and efiicient for providing light intensities necessary at a plurality of locations.

A further object of my invention is to provide a lighting system for such machines characterized by simplicity and low manufacturing cost without sacrifice of lighting quality.

Still another object of my invention is to arrange lighting means for the controls of an automatic laundry machine to permit the operator of the machine to select the controls and their various positions by color.

Features of the invention useful in fulfillment of the foregoing objectives consist in the use of a light source over the clothes container, with a liquid shield between the light source and socket, and the interior of the machine. Such a construction is, of course, essential from the standpoint of electrical hazard. Light conducting rods are employed, leading from the single light source to various control locations, thereby to illuminate'knobs and indicators needed to show properly the operating condition of the machine. In conjunction with'the light conducting rods leading to the control locations and cooperating with the control knobs or dials, light transmitting discs of varying colors may be employed permit ting control of the machine by color,rather than alignment of written inscriptions on a dial with a fixed indicator.

The features of this invention which I believe to be novel are set forth with'particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its 0rganization and method of operation, together with further objects, features, and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a partial side elevation, partially in section, through an automatic clothes washer incorporating this invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 showing a portion of the device illustrated by Fig. 1 enlarged to show details; Fig. 3 Ba partial front elevation of the machine illustrated by Fig. 1 withportions thereof broken away; Fig. 4 is a partial plan view to illustrate details; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a component.

This invention is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with domestic laundry equipment. Correspondingly, the disclosure presented herein illustrates the invention as embodied in an automatic clothes washer of the of the machine.

2 type including a rotary clothes container or basket 1 enclosed within an outer water retaining tub 2 with an appropriate decorative outer supporting cabinet 3. Clothes basket 1 is of the type having substantially imperforate bottom and side walls, with the side wall flaring outwardly and upwardly. Adjacent the upper edge of the basket are a plurality of apertures 4 through which liquid is discharged when basket 1 is rotated at high speed for centrifugal extraction. Preferably basket 1 has a vitreous enameled interior surface of a relatively light color. Within basket or container 1 is an agitator 5 having a plurality of outwardly extending agitating vanes 6. In accordance witharrangements 'well known in the art, agitator 5 is mechanically driven with an oscillatory motion, thereby impartinga cleansing movement to washing liquid within basket 1, flexing the clothes being washed, and producing a rubbing action of the clothes with vanes on the agitator and the interior of the basket. For further details on the construction and operation of the driving mechanism of such a machine, reference is made to Patent 2,639,618, I. W. McNairy, issued May 26, 1953, and assigned to the General Electric Company, assignee of this invention.

In the present construction, it is contemplated that outer cabinet 3 is formed by wrapping a shell around a suitable framework, thus defining the four sides of the machine. The cover for the machine is formed by a separate member having a substantially flat top portion 7, an upwardly extending wall 8 adjacent the rear of the machine to define abacksplash panel, a top portion 9 of the backsplash panel, and a downwardly extending portion 10 of the backsplash panel. By way of example, I have shown the back portion 10 of the backsplash panel as supported with respect to the cabinet back wall 3 by means of a bracket 11 suitably fastened both to cabinet 3 and portion 10 of the cover assembly. Access to the interior of the machine into basket 1 is provided by a hinged lid 12, as clearly shown by Fig. 1, cover 7 being provided with a flanged opening 13. t

For a more pleasing appearance, the backsplash panel may include an escutcheon assembly 14 overlying portions 8 and 9 of the backsplash panel. This escutcheon assembly may terminate in a decorative bezel 15 adjacent the lower portion thereof.

In accordance with this invention, it is contemplated that the controls and indicators for the machine will be mounted for convenient accessibility on the backsplash panel. As indicated most clearly in Fig. 3, a left-hand control knob 28 may be mounted on a control shaft 16', for example for an on-off switch, light switch, and water temperature control. A similar control knob 17 at the right-hand side of the machine may be, for example, the cycle controller by which the operator can select various portions of the complete cycle of the machine, or adjust the time period of any one portion of such cycle. An indicator light 19 may be located in the center of the backsplash panel, as clearly shown by Fig. 3.

In accordance with this invention, means are provided for lighting the interior of container 1, the control dials, and an indicator. This is accomplished from a single source of light, here shown as an electric lamp 18 mounted in a conventional socket 18a, which in turn is supported on a bracket 20 carried by the cover assembly Electrical power is supplied to socket 18a in a conventional manner (not shown), and this electrical circuit may be under the control of one of the control knobs.

It is essential in such a machine to protect the electrical lamp and socket from contact with the washing liquid. For this purpose, a liquid shield or shelf assembly 21 is employed. Lamp 18 as shown by Fig. l overlies container 1 so that light therefrom is available Patented- Mar. 6,1956.

greases 3 to illuminate the interior of' the container. Centrally located on liquid shield 21 inimmediateproximity to lamp 18 is a light transmitting lens 22, providing proper light dispersion into container 1. Shield assembly 21 includes an upwardly'extending wall 23 having'mounted on the upper edge thereof a flexible grommet 24 providing a liquid seal with portion 7 of the cover assembly. Similarly, a back wall 25 of'the shield assembly is curved in concentric relation with the corresponding wall of tub 2. A flexible gasket 26 is interposed between wall 25 and tub 2 whereby a liquid seal is also achieved between these members; Hence, lamp 18' and socket 18a are completely shielded in a liquid tight manner from any water or liquids splashed from tub 2 or container 1.

The single light'source18' may be employed not only for illuminating the interior of container 1 as shown and described, but also for illuminating both control knobs and indicator 19. For this purpose, I employ light conducting rods from the. light source to the control knobs andindicator. be" molded. from a material such as methyl methacrylate. Suchmaterial should be as free as possible from bubbles and surface scratches, with the surface resembling a high polish finish. With rods so formed,.light is transmitted through the rod and around curves by internal reflection within the rod. Referring in particular to Fig. 3, a generally curved rod 27 is employed for conducting light from lamp 18 into proximity with left-hand dial 28. On the portion of the rod. adjacent lamp 18, an

angular surface 29 is provided making an acuteangle, 3

preferably less than 45 degrees, with the light rays emanating fromlamp 18. Hence, such light rays pass through the portion 30 of the light conducting rod and strike the interior surface 29 from which they are reflected upwardly into the curved portion of. the rod. Such internal reflection continues until the light. rays reach the remote end of the rod. As shown by Fig. 5, the upper end of rod 27 is provided with an angular surface 31 to direct light rays outwardly toward the control knob. in Fig. 2, the upper end of a rod 33 is shown for conducting light to indicator button 19. The upper end of' rod 33 is provided with a sloping surface 32 which reflects light outwardly through surface 32a to the translucent indicator button. A curved rod 34 similar to. rod

27, provides illumination of knob 17, as clearly shown by Fig. 3.

With respect to the control knobs themselves, preferably they are formed or molded from a clear or translucent plastic material, .ar exampie a poiystyrene. in the usual manner, each control knob has. a hub portion adapted to cooperate with a fiat. such as 35 formed on the end of the corresponding shaft 16. For transmission of the light from a conducting rod to a control knob, aligned apertures 36 andv 37 are provided through backsplash panel 8 and escutcheon assembly 14 respectively, as clearly illustrated by Fig. 3. By this arrangement, only theupper portion'of a control knob is illuminated. In the intermediate space between the escutcheon assembly and backsplash panel 8, a colored disc 38, as shown by Fig. 2, may besecured to a control shaft to rotate therewith. Hence, the angular position. of the shaft can bedetermined by the operator at a glance depending upon. the color of the illumination. Itxis contemplated, of course, that each of the-discs 38 will be formed with a plurality of pie shapedsectors having ditferprimary prerequisite for the use of such rods is: toarrange the angles of incidence.- of light rays so that reflection These light conducting rods may internally within the rod continues to the desired point, whereupon the light'rays are reflected outwardly'through a surface of the rod to achieve the desired illumination at that point.

While this invention has been described by reference to a particular embodiment thereof in an automatic washing machine, it is to be understood that numerous modifications. may be made by those skilled in the art, and that the invention may be applied to other types of machines. It is therefore aimed in the appended claims to cover all such equivalent variations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

i. In a clothes washing machine or the like including a clothes basket, an enclosing cabinet and cover assembly, and control means including rotary operating shafts extending to the exterior of said cabinet and coverassembly, that improvement in a lighting means comprising a light source positioned to illuminate the interior of said basket, means defining a liquid shield between said light source and said basket, liquid seal means cooperating with said. liquid shield providing sealing engagement with said cabinet and cover assembly, a control knob of light transmitting material for each operating shaft,.a light conducting rod individual to each control knob for conveying light by internal reflection from said light source to a position adjacent said knob, an on-otf indicator of translucent material on said cabinet and cover assembly, a light conducting rod from said light source to said indicator, means defining an aperture through said cabinet and. cover assembly for each of said control knobs and said indicator through which light passes when transmitted through said connecting rods, and a light disc of.

multi-colored'sectors associated with each of said control knobs and positioned between said cabinet and said knob, whereby the rotary position of a knob corresponds with a predetermined color.

2. In a clothes washing machine or the like including a clothes basket, an enclosing cabinet and cover assembly, and control means including a rotary operating shaft extending to the exterior of the cabinet, that improvement in lighting means comprising a light source within the cabinet and cover assembly positioned to illuminate the.

interior of. the basket, a liquid shield between said light source. and the basket, liquid seal means cooperating with said liquid shield. to provide a liquid sealed compartment for. said light source, a flanged control knob of light transmitting material secured to said operating shaft. a light conducting rod within the cabinet extending from a position. adjacent said light source to a position in proximity with the flange of said knob, end surfacesof said light conducting rod being oriented to receive and transmit light by internal reflection toward the flange of said control knob, means defining a window through said cabinet and cover assembly in direct alignment with the flange on said knob whereby light is transmitted to a sector of said knob, and a light transmitting disc having. a plurality of sectors of diflerent colors secured to said operating shaft between said knob and the cabinet,

whereby. the rotary position of the knob corresponds with a predetermined color.

References (Zitedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,333,492 Ridge Nov. 2,1943 2,566,026 Hughes Aug. 28, 1951 2,609,475 Sandin et al Sept. 2, 1952! 2,609,476 Ackemann Sept. 2, 1952" 2,656,451 Rick Oct. 20, .1953 

